Emerson-Stots, Holdorf-Villefort title fights headline Victory FC 56 in Omaha on April 14

A pair of title fights will top the bill when Victory FC returns to Nebraska next month for Victory FC 56.

In the main event, two-division champion Robert Emerson (19-11) will put his bantamweight title up for grabs against Raufeon Stots (7-0). And in the co-feature, new welterweight champ Kassius Holdorf (8-3) makes his first title defense when he takes on UFC veteran Yuri Villefort (9-5).

Victory FC officials recently announced the event and title headliners. Victory FC 56 takes place April 14 at Baxter Arena in Omaha. The card will stream live on UFC Fight Pass.

Emerson, a seven-fight UFC veteran who competed on Season 5 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” has won seven of his past eight fights. After a 2-1 mark in Bellator, he signed with Victory FC and won the bantamweight title this past June with a submission of Shawn West. In December, he went after the featherweight crown and knocked out Ryan Roberts in the first round to become a two-division champ.

“Rob Emerson is a veteran competitor who still has designs on competing at the highest level,” Victory FC President and CEO Ryan Stoddard stated. “But to get back to the UFC, he is going to have to defend his Victory Fighting Championship belt against unquestionably one of the top prospects in Raufeon Stots.”

Stots, who trains at the Roufusport gym in Milwaukee, stayed unbeaten in November and wrapped up a perfect 4-0 2016 calendar year when he took a unanimous decision from UFC/Bellator/Strikeforce/WEC/PRIDE veteran Jeff Curran. That victory made him 4-0 under the Victory FC banner, all in 2016.

Holdorf won Victory FC’s welterweight title in December when he knocked out rival Maki Pitolo just five seconds into the second round. That fight was a rematch from this past July, when Pitolo took a unanimous decision in a bout Holdorf took on short notice. The title win made “Killa Kayne” an impressive 7-1 under the Victory FC banner.

After starting his career a perfect 6-0, Brazil’s Villefort got a shot in Strikeforce, then the UFC. But he ran into some rough times with a five-fight skid that lasted more than three years, including both his fights in the UFC. But things are looking up for Villefort with three consecutive victories, including two in 2016 for Victory FC.